DaVinci Resolve is a video editing application available for PC & Mac currently taking the professional and enthusiast market by storm. We hear customers talking about it a lot at creative trade shows. Our support team is often asked about compatibility by customers interested in buying a Contour Multimedia Controller PRO.
Finding quality professional-level editing software can be expensive if you are a keen video editor, as it often requires a subscription service. Part of DaVinci Resolve’s popularity is that it is free to use.
DaVinci Resolve is free to download and use, while it maintains high quality as it is the software platform that underpins Black Magic Design’s professional editing hardware range. This software is the kind of serious stuff the pros use, which you get for nothing!
So why is it free? The theory is quite simple: Start to use the software, and you are more likely to consider buying the hardware. It is a similar strategy to how Apple used iTunes to build a customer base for iPods and iPhones, an approach that has proved to work very well.
Is DaVinci Resolve any good?
DaVinci Resolve has become my editing software of choice, and not simply because it is free. It offers numerous advanced features; 8k resolution video compatibility, a progressive and easy to use multi-track timeline, excellent transitions and effects, colour grading, and a comprehensive range of video output formats.
If you are a YouTube or Vimeo fan, there are even pre-sets included to allow you to create videos for your social media projects. Why pay for these features when you can get them for nothing?
It is fair to say that the interface can be a little overwhelming for beginners, but the new Cut Page in version 16 allows for a simplified editing interface that will enable you to learn the ropes. The reality is, with applications like Photoshop CC, there are more features than the average user will ever need. Still, as you become experienced, you will not be locked into a basic application that prevents you from growing your creativity.
It is free, so it is worth downloading and giving it a go.
How can Contour Multimedia Controller PRO improve your work with DaVinci Resolve?
Most creative applications have a wide range of keyboard shortcuts that allow you to access standard features. DaVinci Resolve is no exception to this, with literally hundreds to choose from. No video editor uses all of them, and most people max out at 10 to 15 favourites, but even having easy access to a handful of these can speed up your workflow. Contour Multimedia Controller PRO allows you to access your favourite shortcuts easily, which is why it’s such a popular device with video editors.
Combining a jog wheel control with 15 programmable buttons works alongside your conventional mouse but places all your favourite keyboard shortcuts in your spare hand. Chris Watkins called the Contour Multimedia Controller PRO one of the best-kept secrets in video editing, and it’s well worth watching his video here.
Contour Multimedia Controller PRO will improve your workflow in DaVinci Resolve
The Contour Multimedia Controller PRO uses a neat driver program on PC & Mac to work with a wide range of applications, including DaVinci Resolve.
Install the driver, plug in your Contour Multimedia Controller PRO, start DaVinci Resolve, and you’ll be instantly able to scan your video timeline using the jog control. Fifteen buttons are pre-programmed to insert, split and overwrite video clips, add markers, mark in and out, undo/redo and a whole host of additional functions, which are popular in DaVinci.
It’s possible that these pre-sets may not suit your workflow, and if this is the case, it’s straightforward to re-program the buttons to perform the tasks you need them to. Suppose it can be done on your keyboard. In that case, it can be mapped to Contour Multimedia Controller PRO, meaning that your favourite settings are always within reach, saving you lots of time and unnecessary keyboard finger acrobatics.
In his video review, Chris Watkins reckons this is the best bit of kit he’s ever bought.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Contour Multimedia Controlelr PRO v2, take a look here.
